As always, on the third weekend of August (which is this weekend), Payson will again hold its August Doin’s — highlighted by the 128th World’s Oldest Continuous Rodeo.

In addition to the rodeo’s four main events (Friday night, Saturday afternoon and evening, and Sunday afternoon), the August Doin’s will feature the annual parade up Main Street, starting at 9 a.m. The 50-plus parade entrants will start at Green Valley Park and make their way east to the Sawmill Crossing.

Also, for those of you who want to show off your favorite five-pound, silver belt buckle or your prettiest sequined country dress as you twirl on the dance floor to the “Boot Scootin’ Boogie,” this is definitely the weekend for you.

The Pro Rodeo Committee is sponsoring a party and dance right at the rodeo grounds after both the Friday and Saturday night rodeos. Junction 87 will be performing both nights from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m.

Also, the Oxbow Saloon will feature three different bands over the weekend. Kicking things off on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m., the band Dusty Roads will be on the inside stage. On both Friday and Saturday nights from 9 p.m. until 1 a.m., Moonshine Mafia will be jamming inside, while the group Mogollon will be playing outside on the courtyard patio.

To get myself into the rodeo spirit this week, I’ve been listening to a lot of country music, with a rodeo theme. I’ve enjoyed the country-rodeo sound of Moe Bandy’s “Rodeo Romeo,” Merle Haggard’s “Life of a Rodeo Cowboy” and Toby Keith’s “She Ran Away with a Rodeo Clown.”

These are all great rodeo songs. But the country tune that I think really lassos the essence of the ridin’, ropin’ rodeo circuit is Garth Brook’s 1991 country hit, simply titled “Rodeo.” It begins:

It’s bulls and blood,

It’s dust and mud,

It’s the roar of a Sunday crowd.

It’s the white in his knuckles,

The gold in the buckle,

He’ll win the next go ’round.

It’s boots and chaps

It’s cowboy hats,

It’s spurs and latigo.

It’s the ropes and the reins,

And the joy and the pain,

And they call the thing rodeo.

Even as a self-confessed urban cowboy, I swear on my big blue rodeo bible that I know a little bit about bulls and blood and dust and mud. I’m familiar with boots and chaps, ropes and reins and have certainly experienced my share of pain. But just what in the 8-second rodeo world is “latigo”?

If you can answer that question for me, you’ll be this week’s music trivia winner.

Is “latigo” A) the feather decoration on a cowboy’s hat; B) the leggings worn by a horse as protection against the brush and weather; C) a wide leather strap on a saddle that is used to tighten the cinch around a horse; or D) a cute leather carry case attached to a cowboy’s belt to hold his cell phone?

Be the fourth caller this week with the correct answer and you’ll win a “4 Bar N Leather” western-style blinged hard wallet. This beautiful prize has been donated by Crafter Cubbies (located in the Swiss Village), courtesy of crafters Tom and Debbie Lister.

Last week’s Music Trivia question

This past week’s trivia question asked if you could name the 1980s-’90s rock singer who earned a No. 1 hit with his 1985 song “Heaven.”

The correct answer was Bryan Adams. Each of the other three choices also had one (or more) No. 1 hits in the 1980s — George Michael with “Faith” (1987), Robert Palmer with “Addicted To Love” (1988) and Michael Jackson with “Billie Jean” (1983).

Congratulations to this past week’s music trivia winner, Jamie Fuller, of Payson. A two-time music trivia winner, Jamie won a Best of Bryan Adams CD.

Some final notes

This past week, I’ve added two new sets of pictures to my Web site.

The first set is from last weekend’s Mountain Daze in Pine, where the weather was a little warm, but pleasant and the atmosphere was enthusiastically festive. Visitors were treated to the wares of many vendors and to the beautiful quilt display and auction held inside the Cultural Hall.

The second set of pictures is from last Saturday evening’s poolside party held at the Payson Campground, just east of Gila Community College. Great food, fellowship and a whole lotta fun greeted the many campers who make the campground their weekend or summer home.

Also, if you’re a regular reader of this column and have never called in before, I would encourage you to do so.